Unexpected Joys
I woke up the other morning to the news that Joan and I were going to spend a few days with our grandchildren.
Plain Speech with Philip Gulley
A Quaker Looks at the World
Live Last read · last published · next check
Latest posts
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Monarchs
Several years ago, hoping to singlehandedly restore the Monarch butterfly population, my wife gathered milkweed seeds and planted them in raised beds in our backyard.
What Faith Is and Isn’t
Joan and I went this past Tuesday afternoon over to Mill Creek Friends Meeting graveyard southwest of Danville to meet with the cemetery trustee to pick out our gravesites.
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Return to Harmony Chapter 55 - Uly Grant had never been a violent man. Indeed, just the opposite. He was likable, helpful, and generally peaceable. So when Uly slapped Dale Hinshaw upside the head for showing a picture of his naked mother around town, people were surprised by Uly’s reaction, though secretly pleased by Dale’s comeuppance.
My Thoughts on Vocation
The children in our town returned to school this week, including our granddaughter, who ended her summer with a trip to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills with our son, who has always resented us for not buying a ranch before he was born so he could indulge his fantasy of becoming a cowboy.
Who I Want to Be
I ran into an old friend last week who I hadn’t seen in a while, so we were updating one another on our lives, showing each other pictures of our grandchildren, discussing our medical ailments, the usual conversation of anyone over 65.
The Slap Heard Round the World
Return to Harmony Chapter 54
The Only Word of God I Need
Recently, during a workshop with pastors, the leader asked us to finish the sentence, “A pastor should read the Bible…” Hands went up around the room with answers such as “prayerfully,” “every day,” “with the eyes of faith,” and “without fail.” My answer—that the Bible should be read with healthy skepticism—was not warmly received.
Why War Is Not the Answer, Part 7
A family friend is getting married this week, and I’m officiating. When I met with he and his fiancée to discuss the wedding, I asked where they were going on their honeymoon. “The beach,” they said.
What Goes Around
Return to Harmony Chapter 53 - It was hard not to notice Charles Gardner’s new Ford Raptor pickup truck, parked as it was near the front door of Harmony Friends Meeting. Beside it, sat Ellis Hodge’s new-to-him Ford pickup. Absolute gems, both of them. After meeting for worship, the men of the meeting hurried outside to ogle them.
Are We Obligated to Obey the Immoral and Incompetent?
Friends